Regarding Spitfires Vb trop in Africa,Stig wrote:Spitfires didn't reach North Africa until spring 1942. So it would not really make sense if it was just a 1941 package.
145th RAF was first to come in Africa with Spitfires in April, in Egypt bases, and in May it was in Libya
http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/145_wwII.html
"Early in 1942 the squadron prepared to move overseas, and in February it departed for the Middle East, arriving in Egypt in April. At the end of May it moved to the western desert, becoming the first Spitfire squadron to do so. Operations began on 1 June, just in time to take part in the defence against Rommel's last offensive, the campaign that ended at El Alamein and the Egyptian border."
Also on that link u can see that from May-June 1942 they were at Gambut and that they operated in that time Spitfire Vs
In this book Spitfire Aces of North Africa and Italy by Andrew Thomas you can see they were fighting with them over Tobruk:
https://books.google.com/books?id=yVW3C ... st&f=false
and 92nd and 601 RAF had them in Africa in June 42 also, but thouse 2 squadrons were stationed in Egypt bases not on map area TF is making, probably first used in late summer or autumn in Battle of El Alamain.
maybe they have better info.
http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/92_wwII.html
http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/601_wwII.html
So Spitfires Vb trop fit their timeline if all that info is correct